Earth Day Turns 50

It was 1969, the age of peace and love. And activism.
Protests occurred regularly, often against U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Troops
began coming home while the Beatles gave their last public performance.
Woodstock blew us away, and Neil Armstrong walked on the Moon.

Meanwhile, people were choking on smog-filled cities. The
Cuyahoga River in Cleveland caught fire from the chemicals and debris in its
waters. Seventy-five species were endangered, including America’s symbol, the bald
eagle. Spraying insecticides killed fish and animals, and caused birth defects
in humans. Could things get any worse? Yes. Yes, they could.

Union Oil was drilling oil along California’s coast. On January 28, 1968, an explosion rocked the sea floor and cracked it in five spaces. Crude oil began spilling out off the coast of Santa Barbara. For a month, a thousand gallons of oil gushed out every hour. Approximately three million gallons of crude oil resulted in a 35-mile long oil slick. Thousands of sea mammals, fish, and birds died. Beaches turned black.

Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, along with millions of
others, were horrified. Nelson knew something had to be done. He was joined by Pete
McCloskey, a conservative Republican congressman from California, proving that
partisan action can work. The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970. About
20 million people—10% of the population–in the United States participated in
some way. Teaching, learning, protesting. Concern for the environment
transcended political parties, geographical boundaries, and economic class. And
the first Earth Day brought results:

Within three months, the Environmental
Protection Agency was created. National legislation followed.

The Clean Water Act passed in 1972. Water
pollution decreased; Fishable waters increase.

The Clean Air Act passed in 1973. CFC’s (causing
holes in ozone) have been phased out. Key pollutants leading to acid rain have
been reduced. Lead pollutants haven been reduced by 92%. According to the Union
of Concerned Scientists, the Clean Air Act prevented the premature deaths of
over 400,000 people.

The Endangered Species Acts passed in 1973. It has
been 99% successful at preventing extinction. Without the act, at least 227
species would now be extinct.

Things improved. Air became cleaner. Rivers no longer caught
fire. In 1990, Earth Day went global with 200 million people in 141 countries
focusing on environmental issues. Since then, it’s spread to 192 countries
around the globe.

Unfortunately, the fight isn’t over. We’ve seen more oil
spills. The Exxon Valdez in Alaska in 1989. BP in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. The
current administration has rolled back many of the reforms as we face a
significant climate crisis.

The Earth is ill. What are you going to do about it?

Yes, I know were in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic. But our health also depends on a healthy environment. What can you do? Here are some ideas to get you started.

But if we learn anything from the first Earth Day 50 years
ago, it’s that we can make a difference. We may not be able to protest
in the streets right now, but we can protest on social media. We can demand “a
new way forward.”

About KB Gibson

I am a writer who writes a little of everything--fiction, travel, children's books and articles, copywriting, curriculum.My perfect vacation would be to sit on a beach or look out over the mountains and read books. I never get to read as much as I want.